Cattle guard



A ril 1, 1952 a. c. WELTER QATTLE GUARD Filed April 5, 1950 2SHEETS-SHEEIT l Grover 0. Welter INVENTOR.

Attorneys (5. C. WELTER April 1 1952 CATTLE GUARD 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 FiledApril 3, 1950 Grove/6. Wei/er INVENTOR.

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Patented Apr. 1, 1952 'ATENT orrics CATTLE GUARD Grover C. Welter,Roswell, N. Mex.

Application April 3, 1958, Serial No. 153,695

The present invention relates to certain new and stock from straying outof an enclosed pasture or from one pasture to another.

More specifically, the invention pertains to a heavy duty type open-workgrating which is lined up with a runway to serve not only as theaforementioned cattle guard but as a safe and reliable bridge over whichautomobiles, trucks and farm machinery may be-driven.

Needless to say, there are many and various styles and forms ofso-called bridge-type cattle guards in use and virtually all of them arecharacterized by a grating of one type or another over which cattle, dueto insecure footing, will not pass. In carrying out the principles ofthe instant invention the construction employed is likewise an openworkgrating. It is an improvement in this line of endeavor in that theconstructional parts employed take the form of individual componentswhich are carefully prefabricated, shipped from the factory in knockdownform and may thereafter be assembled and properly erected by an averageperson, whereby to obviate the necessity of employing skilled workmen todo the job.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and practicalgrille or grating construction in which manufacturers, users and otherswill find their essential needs fully met, contained and readilyavailable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel grating which isnot necessarily restricted for use as a cattle guard but which may beequally well employed in connection with highway construction work whereit is necessary to quickly set up a temporary bridge over a washout,culvert or similar excavation.

Novelty is predicated on light weight but sturdy grating which ischaracterized by foundation timber, channel-shaped rails superimposed onand secured to the timber, and channel-shaped traction and tread memberswhich may be readily installed for use on the web portion of said rails.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from thefollowing description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like numerals are employedto designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure l is an enlarged view in section and elevation showing portionsof a fence, a ditch 14 Claims. (01. 256-17) or other excavation andshowing the improved cattle guard constructed in accordance with theinvention and properly installed for use;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure disclosed in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectiontaken on the plane of line 3 3 of Figure2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of one ofthe timber-rails and a fragmentary end portion of one of thecomplementaltraction rails.

Referring now to the drawings, the excavation or ditch is denoted at Aand fence sections at B and C. Each fence section includes a post D withfence wires E attached thereto.

The grating comprises three, more or less, horizontal timbers 6, andthese are duplicates of one another and they are arranged to span theexcavation as shown in Figure 3 and the end portions 8-8 are suitablyembedded in the ground. Mounted on each timber is a longitudinallyextending adapter rail H). This includes a body portion which ischannel-shaped in cross section, said body portion having a web [2 andvertical side walls [4 and It provided with outstanding flanges Iii-l8which flanges are screwed, nailed or otherwise fastened atop theunderlying timber. The timbers and rails will of course be of suitablelength depending on the job in hand. At the prescribed points andcarefully located. are screw threaded bolt holes 20 and upstandingassembling and retaining tongues 22. These are arranged to accommodatethe flanges 24 and 26 on the vertical wall portions 28-28 of thetransverse or complemental tread rail 30. The flanges 24 fit into thekeeper tongues 22 as is obvious and the flanges 26 have non-threadedbolt holes to accommodate a screw threaded shank 30 of the bolts 32.These bolts are obviously passed through the bolt holes in the flange 26and screwed into the threaded holes 20 in the web I2. In the respectivefoundation rails 10 the keepers 20 and 22 are carefully arranged toinsure proper accommodation and location of the cross rails 30. Thecross rails are arranged in spaced parallelism at properly spaced pointsto provide the desired grille-like or grating effect.

With this arrangement the foundation members may be installed and thefoundation rails I0 nailed or otherwise fastened thereon. The structureis then ready for individual placement of the cross rails 30 which areheld in position by the offset keeper tongue 22 to facilitate boltingthe flanges 26 to the web portion l2. It will be evident that with theparts carefully prefabricated at the factory they may be sent out inknockdown form and readily erected by the average person.

Where desired inclined auxiliary guards between fence sections B and Cmay be employed and these guards are denoted by the numerals 34 and 35in Figure 1. Each guard comprises an inclined channel iron 36 which issuitably fastened at the upper end to the post D and fastened at 38 tothe adjacent timbers 6. There are horizontal channel irons 40 and theseare fastened at 42 at desired points to the channel iron 36 in anobvious manner.

Where the grating is used as a bridge on highways and over road ditches,the side guards may also be used as safety fences.

It is also within the purview of this invention to obtain a clearunderstanding and impression of the alleged features of merit andnovelty'sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention ashereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts maybe resorted to in actual practice so long as no departure is made fromthe invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

4 3. A structure of the class described comprising a knockdown openworkgratingadapted to span a ditch, excavation or cavityfiin a roadway orthe like embodying a plurality of spaced parallel independent horizontalfoundation timbers disposed in a plane with each other, longitudinalrails superimposed on said timbers, each adapter rail being achannel-iron with outstanding longitudinal basing flanges removablyfastened atop its complemental timber, the web portion of saidchannel-iron being provided with longitudinally struck-out keepertongues and companion screwthreaded bolt holes, and a plurality ofcomplemental cross-rails, the latter also being channelshaped in crosssection, disposedat 'right angles to said longitudinal rails and havingbasing flanges, certain of the latter interlocked with 00- actingkeeper-tongues, and bolts-carried by certain other flanges and screwedinto said bolt holes.

4. For use in spanning a roadway 'ditch or similar excavation, aknockdownopenwork grating for ready shipping in a dismantled state andcapable of being readily set up for use on the job, a plurality ofduplicate longitudinalbasing rails, each rail being a channel-ironembodying a flat Web portion, spaced parallel side walls and outstandingattaching flanges which are adapted to be removbly secured atop anunderlying founda- 1. A structure of the class described compris or thelike embodying a plurality of independent horizontal foundation timbersdisposed in a plane with each other and in spaced parallelism,longitudinal metal rails superimposed on and removably fastened to saidtimbers, said rails being channel-shaped in cross section and havingoutstanding longitudinal flanges fastened atop said timbers, and aplurality of transverse traction rails, the latter being channel-shapedin cross section, disposed at right angles to said first named rails andhaving outstanding flanges seated on and releasably attached to the webportions of said first named rails.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein the web portions of saidlongitudinal rails are provided at longitudinally spaced points withstruckout tongues providing keepers for certain of'the flanges on saidtraction rails.

tion timber, said web portion having screwthreaded bolt holes atprescribed-longitudinally spaced points and upstruck keeper tongues, thelatter and said bolt holes being in predetermined paired relationship,and a plurality of complemental cross-rails, the latter also beingchannelirons and each having a web portion, spaced parallel side wallsand longitudinal assembling and securing flanges projecting outwardlyfrom said side walls, one flange having bolt holes each for registrationwith a predetermined" one of said firstnamed bolt holes, the remainingflange being imperforate and adapted to interlockingly engage beneath aselected keeper tong'ii'e;

GROVER' 'C; WELTER'.

REFERENCES orrEn The following references are of record in'the flle ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

